-=- 03.Virtual hangouts

 Back to Cultural Signposts, Back to Contents, 0n to Resources and Referenses

-=- 03.1.Elists & newsgroups

 Two of the most common forms of discourse in virtual culture occur on the elist (or electronic mailing list) and the USENET newsgroup. While the up-to-date listings of what elists or newsgroups are up and running are available on the newsgroup news.answers or the ftp site rftm.mit.edu (/pub/usenet-by-group/rec.answers) it is very time consuming to examine each list thouroughly. The following are a few lists which either have helped to form virtual culture or deal with various aspects of it.

Elists List of eLists

- ftp ftp.nisc.sri.com /netinfo/interest-groups.

Newsgroups

A short bit on the Usenet Hierarchy. Alt.groups is supposed to stand for alternative, but should probably stand for adolescent. These are news groups waiting to grow up and consequently have a low signal to noise ratio. But like adolescents, if you really listen to them, you can gleem some really neat insights. When Alt.groups get a large enough following or a serious enough topic, they tend to graduate into other prefixes; ie, comp. (computer) rec. (recreation), sci. (science), bit. (Bitnet listservs), soc. (social, society). What this means generally, is that the group becomes heady and cliqueish. But if you're persistant ad polite, you can usually elicit a response from somebody. One final comment about USENET, anything I said above is likely to be untrue at any moment in time. Thus the attraction of USENET for even the most experienced cyberpoets.

  • alt.3d Three-dimensional imaging.
  • alt.activism Activities for activists.
  • alt.aldus.pagemaker Forget expensive user support, come here instead.
  • alt.amateur-comp The Amateur Computerist.
  • alt.angst Anxiety in the modern world.
  • alt.artcom Artistic Community, arts & communication.
  • alt.astrology Twinkle, twinkle, little planet.
  • alt.atheism.* Godless heathens next on Oprah
  • alt.bbs.ads Ads for various computer BBS's.
  • alt.bbs.internet BBS systems accessible via the Internet.
  • alt.bbs.lists Postings of regional BBS listings.
  • alt.best.of.internet Sort of an oxymoron.
  • alt.binaries.* Pictures, programs, multimedia, etc.
  • alt.books.anne-rice A Biting look at the author and her books
  • alt.buddha.short.fat.guy Religion. And not religion. Both. Neither.
  • alt.california The state and the state of mind.
  • alt.cd-rom That shiny amazing disc and it's users.
  • alt.censorship Discussion about restricting speech/press.
  • alt.co-ops Discussion about co-operatives.
  • alt.comp.acad-freedom.* Academic freedom issues related to computers.
  • alt.consciousness All aspects of consciousness.
  • alt.conspiracy Be paranoid --'they' are out to get you.
  • alt.cult-movies Movies with a cult following
  • alt.culture.usenet A self-referential oxymoron.
  • alt.culture.internet A place to comment reflexively
  • alt.cyberpunk High-tech low-life.
  • alt.cyberpunk.chatsubo Cyberpunk fiction.
  • alt.cyberpunk.movement Cybernizing the Universe.
  • alt.cyberpunk.tech Cyberspace and Cyberpunk technology.
  • alt.cyberspace and how it should work.
  • alt.devilbunnies Probably better left undescribed.
  • alt.discordia All hail Eris, etc.
  • alt.dreams What do they mean?
  • alt.drugs Recreational pharmaceuticals.
  • alt.fan.douglas-adams Author of "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy".
  • alt.fan.frank-zappa Is that a Sears poncho?
  • alt.fan.hofstadter Douglas Hofstadter and Godel, Escher, Bach.
  • alt.fan.mst3k Mystery Science Theatre 3000 tv show.
  • alt.fashion All facets of the fasion industry discussed.
  • alt.gathering.rainbow For discussing the annual Rainbow Gathering.
  • alt.gopher Discussion of the gopher information service.
  • alt.gothic Things mournful and dark. Gothic lifestyle's.
  • alt.graffiti Usenet spraypainters and their documenters.
  • alt.hackers Boats of projects currently under develpment.
  • alt.history.what-if Really worth reading every now and then.
  • alt.hypertext Discussion of hypertext.
  • alt.illuminati See alt.cabal. Fnord.
  • alt.individualism Individualist discussions.
  • alt.industrial Industrial culture, etc.
  • alt.internet.access.wanted People looking for internet access.
  • alt.internet.services Internet services.
  • alt.irc Internet Relay Chat material.
  • alt.magick For discussion about supernatural arts.
  • alt.meditation.transcendental Contemplation of states beyond.
  • alt.memetics Ideas spread like genes. A new discipline.
  • alt.mindcontrol You WILL read this group and ENJOY it!
  • alt.music.alternative For groups with 2 or less Platinum albums.
  • alt.news-media Don't believe the hype.
  • alt.online-service Commercial online services, and the Internet.
  • alt.out-of-body Nobody's home.
  • alt.pagan Discussions about paganism & religion.
  • alt.paranormal Phenomena which are not explicable.
  • alt.politics.* Politics.
  • alt.postmodern Postmodernism, semiotics, deconstruction.
  • alt.privacy Privacy issues in cyberspace.
  • alt.prose Postings of original writings.
  • alt.psychoactives Better living through chemistry.
  • alt.radio.pirate Discussions surrounding pirate radio.
  • alt.radio.scanner Discussion of scanning radio receivers.
  • alt.rave Rave culture.
  • alt.religion.computers People who believe computing is "real life."
  • alt.religion.kibology He's Fred, Jim.
  • alt.rock-n-roll.* Counterpart to alt.sex and alt.drugs.
  • alt.security Security issues on computer systems.
  • alt.security.pgp The Pretty Good Privacy package.
  • alt.sex.* Postings of a purient nature.
  • alt.skate-board Discussion of all apsects of skate- boarding.
  • alt.skinheads The skinhead culture/anti-culture.
  • alt.slack Posting about the Church of the Subgenius.
  • alt.society.ati The Activist Times Digest. (Moderated)
  • alt.society.civil-disob Civil disobedience.
  • alt.society.civil-liberties Individual rights.
  • alt.society.revolution Discussions on revolution(s).
  • alt.society.sovereign Independantistes, unite!
  • alt.spam.tin Spam is neither particle nor wave.
  • alt.techno-shamanism Can't program your VCR? Consult a TechnoShaman.
  • alt.thrash Thrashlife.
  • alt.uu.future Does Usenet University have a viable future?
  • alt.wired Wired Magazine.
  • alt.zines Small magazines, mostly noncommercial.
  • bionet.info-theory Discussions about biologicalinformation theory.
  • bionet.neuroscience Research issues in the neurosciences.
  • bionet.women-in-bio Discussions about women in biology.
  • bit.listserv.biosph-l Biosphere, ecology, Discussion List.
  • bit.listserv.cyber-l CDC Computer Discussion.
  • bit.listserv.disarm-l Disarmament Discussion List.
  • bit.listserv.edpolyan Professionals and Students Discuss Education.
  • bit.listserv.edtech Educational Technology elist.
  • bit.listserv.emusic-l Electronic Music Discussion List.
  • bit.listserv.ethics-l Discussion of Ethics in Computing.
  • bit.listserv.frac-l FRACTAL Discussion List.
  • bit.listserv.4ad-l The 4AD recording label.
  • bit.listserv.film-l Film making and reviews List.
  • bit.listserv.fnord-l New Ways of Thinking List.
  • bit.listserv.frac-l FRACTAL Discussion List.
  • bit.listserv.gutnberg GUTNBERG Discussion List.
  • bit.listserv.ioob-l Industrial Psychology.
  • bit.listserv.mbu-l Megabyte University - Computers and Writing.
  • bit.listserv.sganet Student Government Global Mail Network.
  • bit.listserv.valert-l Virus Alert - Urgent Virus Warnings.
  • bit.listserv.vpiej-l Electronic Publishing Discussion List.
  • bit.listserv.xtropy-l Extropians
  • comp.ai Artificial intelligence discussions.
  • comp.ai.neural-nets All aspects of neural networks.
  • comp.ai.philosophy Philosophical aspects of AI.
  • comp.bbs.misc BBS Discussion.
  • comp.dcom.telecom Telecommunications digest. (Moderated)
  • comp.graphics Computer graphics, art, animation.
  • comp.graphics.research Highly technical computer graphics discussion.
  • comp.graphics.visualization Info on scientific visualization.
  • comp.internet.library Discussing electronic libraries.
  • comp.music Applications of computers in music research.
  • comp.org.eff.news News from the Electronic Frontiers Foundation.
  • comp.org.eff.talk Discussion of EFF goals, strategies, etc.
  • comp.org.issnnet The International Student Society for Neural Networks.
  • comp.publish.cdrom.* Concerning cdrom publishing.
  • comp.research.japan The nature of research in Japan. (Moderated)
  • comp.risks Risks to the public from computers. (Moderated)
  • comp.robotics All aspects of robots and their applications.
  • comp.security.misc Security issues of computers and networks.
  • comp.simulation Simulation methods, problems, uses. (Moderated)
  • comp.society The impact of technology on society. (Moderated)
  • comp.society.cu-digest The Computer Underground Digest. (Moderated)
  • comp.society.development Computer technology in developing countries.
  • comp.society.folklore Computer folklore & culture, past & present.
  • comp.society.futures Events in technology affecting future computing.
  • comp.sys.* Everything you would ever need to know about computer systems
  • comp.theory Theoretical Computer Science.
  • comp.theory.cell-automata Discussion of all aspects of cellular automata.
  • comp.theory.dynamic-sys Ergodic Theory and Dynamical Systems.
  • comp.theory.self-org-sys Topics related to self- organization.
  • misc.activism.progressive Information for Progressive activists.
  • misc.int-property Discussion of intellectual property rights.
  • misc.legal.computing Discussing the legal climate of computing.
  • news.announce.important General announcements to all. (Moderated)
  • news.future The future technology of network news systems.
  • rec.arts.animation Discussion of various kinds of animation.
  • rec.arts.anime Japanese animation fen discussion.
  • rec.arts.comics Comic books and strips, graphic novels.
  • rec.arts.int-fiction Discussions about interactive fiction.
  • rec.arts.sf-lovers Science fiction lovers' newsgroup.
  • rec.arts.sf-reviews of science fiction/fantasy/horror works.
  • rec.arts.sf.announce Major announcements of SF. (Moderated)
  • rec.arts.sf.fandom Discussions of SF fan activities.
  • rec.arts.sf.marketplace Personal for-sale notices of SF materials.
  • rec.arts.sf.misc Science fiction lovers' newsgroup.
  • rec.arts.sf.movies Discussing SF motion pictures.
  • rec.arts.sf.reviews Critiques of sf stories. (Moderated)
  • rec.arts.sf.science Real and speculative aspects of SF science.
  • rec.arts.sf.tv Discussing general television SF.
  • rec.arts.sf.written Discussion of written sf and fantasy.
  • rec.music.gdead A group for (Grateful) Dead-heads.
  • rec.music.industrial Discussion of industrial-related music styles.
  • rec.music.makers For performers and their discussions.
  • rec.music.newage "New Age" music discussions.
  • rec.music.synth Synthesizers and computer music.
  • rec.music.video Discussion of music videos.
  • rec.radio.amateur.misc Amateur radio practices.
  • rec.radio.noncomm Topics relating to noncommercial radio.
  • rec.radio.shortwave Shortwave radio enthusiasts.
  • rec.video Video and video components.
  • rec.video.releases Pre-recorded video releases.
  • sci.bio.technology Any topic relating to biotechnology.
  • sci.chaos The science of Chaos.
  • sci.cryonics People who freeze themselves after death.
  • sci.crypt Different methods of data en/decryption.
  • sci.fractals Objects of non-integral dimension and other chaos.
  • sci.lang.japan The Japanese language, both spoken and written.
  • sci.logic Logic: math, philosophy & computational aspects.
  • sci.nanotech Molecular-scale machines. (Moderated)
  • sci.philosophy.tech Technical philosophy: math, science, logic, etc.
  • sci.psychology Topics related to psychology.
  • sci.skeptic Skeptics discussing pseudo-science.
  • sci.space Space. The Final Frontier...not!
  • sci.virtual-worlds Virtual reality. (Moderated).
  • sci.virtual-worlds.apps Applications of VR technology.
  • soc.culture.japan Everything Japanese.
  • soc.culture.usa The culture of the United States of America.
  • talk.bizarre The unusual, bizarre, curious, and often stupid.
  • talk.philosophy.misc Philosophical musings on all topics.
  • talk.politics.drugs The politics of drug issues.
  • talk.politics.space Non-technical issues affecting space exploration.
    • Back to Virtual Hangouts, Back to Contents
    IRC IRC (Internet Relay Chat) Info

    IRC telnet server (Login: irc)

    Virtual culture IRC channels

    The world of Internet BBS' Other Net Cafes usenet

    Back to Virtual Hangouts, Back to Contents

    -=- 03.3.Parks & Rec.

     Q. Of course, what is a culture without fun & games? (A. Boring.) Even the most dedicated hacker craves a little fun everynow and then. Here is some of the fun stuff to explore.

    Elists & Zines

    FTP sites Mu*s MUD Info

    MUD List

    A list of future or cyber- oriented MUDs. MUDs go up and down a lot, so, not my fault if you can't access them.

    Game Servers, Etc On to Resources & Referenses, Back to Virtual Hangouts, Back to Contents